The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-08-12

! inc flour for a very little money and sell.
inc it for a great deal. 1t was here he
got his start in life" as it is so called.
In the year 1860, when Holladay's
friend, Maj Russell Waddell, became
seriously involved. he sold the Over
land express between the Missouri
river and Salt Lake, of which he was
the originator, to Ben Holiday, who
from that time on became prom nontly
known as its proprietor and manager.
Fine first trip Holladav made he left
Fort LeavenwOrth in an ambulance,
making the trip to Salt Lake in six or
seven DAYS, by the assistance OF the
government officers, II of the quick
est trips which had ever been ut that
time. The stages ran between Atchi-
son. Kan, and Salt Lake City, HOlla-
dav receiving $3.50, 600 for carrying the
mail between those two points. The
stages were the thorough-bracr Con-
cord coaches, invariably. painted a
bright red. thoroughly equipped for
service and drawn by four spanking
horses, the whole making an imposing
spectacle.
The accommodations of stage travel
offered by Mr.. HolIadav were of the
very best. The horses were without
exception fine, spirited animals, and
the stages were the best that could be
procured. The stages were run on
uniform time. The end of the cute
was PIacerville, Nevada, and it was to
this point that Horace Greeley was
fastening to deliver his lecture when
Hank Monk, the famous stage-dr yer
of western omance who was driving
along a fearful precipice at an alarm
ingIy rapid gait, called to the alright
ed journalist. who had stuck his head
out of the window to protest: Keep
your seat, Mr. Greedy, I'll get you to
Placervllle in time!"
Holiday ran the stage from 1861
until 1867. When the Union Pacific
road was finished 10 Cheyenne he found
himself out of business, so he took a
great deal of his money and began
building a railroad from San Francisco
to Portland. At one time 1t is esti-
mated that Holiadav must have been
worth s., 900, 600. He devoted himself
to the object of developing the Pacific
coast, and soOn lost n great deal of his
money in railroad schemes. Between
the a 1869 and 1872 he lost nearly
everything he had in connection with
the building of the Oregon railroad.
He secured from the government be-
tween $3.50, 900 and $400, 900 for carry
ing the mails beteen Atchisoh and
Salt Lake. When compelled to give
up the stage business he settled in Cal
ifornia and there erected one of the
grandest mansions on the Pacific coast.
Ever since he lost his money. which
happened some years ago, Holiday
had been planning to complete his
railroad to Portland. When he became
involved, he decided the remnant of his
property to his brother, and when in
the course OF time his brother refused
to restore it to him, Holiday demand
ed restitution in the courts and received
therefrom three-fourths of what he had
decided away
In 1864 and 1866. Holiday lost great
numbers of horses. mules, stages, sta
tons, hay and grain by the ravages of
the war between the Sioux and Chey-
enne Indians. At this time it is esti-
mated that he lost one half a million
dollars clear. He Immediately put a
claim before congress for that amount,
but never received anything to compen-
safe him for his loss. Holiday had
been interested in one of the Pacific
steamship lines, and in a great many
other large concerns in and about the
Pacific coast.
Holiday street in this city was nam
ed after Ben Holiday, because of the
stage Office which was situated at the
corner of Fifteenth and that street.
The old barn where the stages were
kept were located in the block now oc-
pied by the post Office on Lawrence
street.